What happens to an artist when the performance ends?
In this episode, filmmaker Rajaditya Banerjee takes us into the largely unknown world of the Nachni dancers of Purulia, West Bengal through his documentary Acchutt.
The Nachnis have preserved a traditional folk dance form for generations, but behind the colour, music and performance lies a far more difficult reality — social stigma, caste discrimination, economic dependence, patriarchy and the abandonment of women once they grow older.
Rajaditya spent almost a decade researching and building relationships with the women before making Acchutt. He shares how he encountered the Nachni community, why they initially questioned his intentions, and what he discovered about their lives beyond the stage.
The conversation also goes much further.
Rajaditya speaks about his unusual journey from theatre and corporate life in Finland to filmmaking, growing up in a family connected to cinema, and how the death of his filmmaker brother eventually led him to pick up the camera.
We explore why he chooses to tell stories that mainstream media often overlooks — from disappearing languages in Lost for Words, to invisible water carriers in Waterwala, and questions of mortality in Death of Death.
The conversation then turns to a larger concern: Why does documentary cinema struggle to find audiences in India?
Funding, distribution, OTT platforms, film festivals and the lack of a sustainable ecosystem for independent filmmakers all come under discussion.
Rajaditya also offers a candid assessment of Bengali and regional cinema, arguing that storytelling needs to return to the centre rather than star power, hype and market-driven formulas.
And finally, what does he tell young filmmakers who want to enter this difficult profession?
His answer is simple: keep learning, stay hungry, and be willing to sacrifice.
Because filmmaking, for him, is ultimately about having a story that demands to be told.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- The Nachni tradition survives despite the social exclusion of its practitioners.
- The women behind the performance often remain invisible once the music stops.
- Caste, patriarchy and economic dependence intersect in the lives of Nachni women.
- Folk traditions can disappear when institutions fail to document, - recognise and support them.
- Documentary filmmaking can bring attention to stories ignored by mainstream media.
- India's documentary ecosystem faces major problems with funding, distribution and visibility.
- OTT platforms have not necessarily solved the accessibility problem for independent documentaries.
- Independent filmmakers need sustainable avenues to reach audiences in India rather than relying primarily on international platforms.
- Regional cinema needs to put storytelling and strong themes ahead of hype and star power.
- Filmmaking may be difficult financially, but for those who genuinely have stories to tell, the struggle can be worthwhile.
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